In the following discussion certain articles and methods will be described for background and introductory purposes. Nothing contained herein is to be construed as an “admission” of prior art. Applicant expressly reserves the right to demonstrate, where appropriate, that the articles and methods referenced herein do not constitute prior art under the applicable statutory provisions.
The cell membrane constitutes the primary barrier for the transport of molecules and ions between the interior and the exterior of a cell. Electroporation, also known as electropermeabilization, substantially increases cell membrane permeability in the presence of a pulsed electric field. Traditional electroporation systems have been widely used; however, traditional systems require high voltage input and suffer from adverse environmental conditions such as electric field distortion, local pH variation, metal ion dissolution and excess heat generation, all of which may contribute to low electroporation efficiency and/or cell viability. Further, traditional electroporation systems are not easily automated or incorporated into automated cell processing systems where electroporation is but one process performed. There is thus a need for automated multi-module cell processing systems and components thereof capable of transforming multiple cells in an efficient and automated fashion. The present invention addresses this need.